"Antonia Adams is a product of a loveless marriage. As a child she in ignored by her mother and father. She learns that the only way she feels safe is to hide. She becomes invisible. She lives in isolation. Books are her refuge and movies are her escape. I found the book interesting and a very easy read." - O. Scheine
3/4 stars.
"This is the story of Eleanor, an artist and writer who builds the life she always wanted on a farm as a wife and mother. Due to a tragic accident, her dreams are crushed, she takes new paths, & her character slowly develops. It was a push for me to get through this depressing book. I found the writing to be repetitive, cliched, and over-explained. It was not worth my time." - D. Zelamsky
1/4 stars.
"The story of two divorced woman, one that arranges her ex-husband to move into the apartment next door of the other. They each move to Colorado for new beginnings. Of course things get complicated when BB's ex-husband has a romance with Margo. This causes trauma with all involved. I do wonder about the title of this book." - C. Daley
3/4 stars.
"A story of four couples bonded by four childhood girlfriends. Each with a story of their own. You go through their hard times and fun times. A nice and fast summer read, or anytime read. You have two medical women, a hairdresser, and a housewife. They stay close, friendly and dependable, never losing sight of their friendship." - C. Daley
4/4 stars.
"After the death of Kristen’s husband, who had been both friend and mentor, five best friends (who called themselves The Seafaring Girls) reunite to support in the small coastal town of Five Island Cove. Long held secrets are divulged and their mentor’s feet of clay are unearthed. The truth can be shattering, and the Seafaring Girls learn the importance of truth, friendship, family, and faith." - E. Pasquali
4/4 stars.
"After resigning from his Secret Service position under an ethical cloud, 46-year-old Dan Cahill endeavors to rebuilding his relationship with Megan, his idealistic, college-aged daughter. Megan persuades her cynical father to join the student-led campaign of a popular professor in the Nevada presidential primary. Engaging from page one and heart-rendering." - E. Pasquali
4/4 stars.
"Lacey Doyle receives divorce papers in the morning and by the end of the day she has flown to a small British seaside town. She had spent a fun family vacation in this town when she was seven. At the end of that vacation, her father had left the family, never to be heard from again. Lacey rents a house and a storefront, does a business plan, holds her first auction, is approved for a work visa, and solves a mystery - all in about a week. The end of the book is a hook for the next book, as she gets a lead about her father.
"This novel tells the story of Matelda, the Cabrella family matriarch. She shares with granddaughter, Anina, her own mother's love story. Domenina was fortunate enough to have two loves in her life. One with a Scottish sea captain, John Laurie Mcvicars, the father of Matelda her daughter; and a childhood friend, Silivio. She takes us through her journey from Marseilles to Scotland, where, during wartime, Italians were imprisoned without cause. The story may be a little too long for me, but that may be just me." - C. Daley
3/4 stars.
"This story tells us about a magical wedding dress; this dress is the star of the story. Shelly Hansen is surprised when her great aunt's wedding dress arrives. The dress, according to a family legend, will decide, as title states, the man you will marry. After it works for her she sends it to her friend, Jill, who tries very hard not to believe." - C. Daley
4/4 stars.
"Set in the early 1900s, this story tells the untold story of how the Oxford dictionary came to be, particularly of the words that were decidedly left out. A young girl, Esmé, becomes fascinated with words and their meaning, her curiosity blossoming from her discovery of the word “bondmaid.” As Esmé contemplates the meaning of the word and it’s significance, she is also puzzled as to why it was discarded and not included in the dictionary.
"In the original The Beach House book, part of Lovie's and biologist Russell Bennett's story is told. This book explores the depth of their relationship. It is a great story told with so much detail you feel like you're on the Island of Palms for the summer with the turtle team." - F. Schwarz
4/4 stars.
"One of my favorite summer reads is The Beach House, so this summer I decided to read other books Monroe wrote about these characters. This story tells how of Toy, Cara, Emma and Flo find a way to continue on with Lovie's work and their lives after her death." - F. Schwarz
4/4 stars.
"This is a novel about the immigration experience at Ellis Island in 1902. It tells the story of Francesca and Alma and their attempt at female empowerment despite the time frame. The author always shows the characters’ resilience and there is hope for their future." - N. McGill
4/4 stars.
"In a mostly White small town in Wisconsin, an Asian immigrant man and wife settled down and started their own business with their three children: the Fine Chao Restaurant. The book is told through the eyes of the three Chao family brothers as they navigate through life as minorities who struggle to find the perfect combination of integrating their Chinese roots with their American life. Intertwined in this struggle is also the mystery of who killed Leo Chao, the patriarch of this family, who is a bully and seemingly disliked by the town and his own family.
"This is a historical romantic novel about two high society families who have homes in London and Kent, England around 1780’s. The Bridgertons and the Manstons have been friends for years. They have large families with many cousins. It was one of the Bridgerton’s cousin, Poppy Bridgerton, who has an adventure in Kent by the sea. While exploring the seaside by herself, she gets kidnapped by pirates, the captain of the ship turns out to be an envoy for the king. Poppy has many adventures while at sea to Lisbon." - T. Gustafson
3/4 stars.